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We were thinking about ways to demonstrate the effectiveness of Hydro jetting through video when we found this video by superjetdrains.com, showing a 5lb “chicken sandwich” being shredded by a powerful 3,500 PSI jet of water.

Notice that in spite of the obvious strength and effectiveness of this method of cleaning a pipe, there is no damage to the pipe itself – a good reason to consider hydro jetting the next time you need it.

The drain is a mess. Dirty, awful water is filling the sink. Reach for the Liquid Plumber, right?

Not a good idea, according to the Household Products Database, which was created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to this source, Liquid Plumber (and similar products) are “harmful if swallowed” and “may cause burns on contact” and is “corrosive to the eyes.” Also according to this site, “Although not expected,” Liquid Plumber can cause “heart conditions or chronic respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis or obstructive lung disease may be aggravated by exposure to high concentrations of vapor or mist.” This seems like a substance that we should avoid handling, much less use in the same sink that we use to wash our children’s dishes.

In a world that we’ve acknowledged is growing increasingly toxic, it seems like a bad idea to add to that toxicity through the use of products that the US government gives a “Serious” health rating, meaning that the government has determined that a this is a chemical “for which there is statistically significant evidence based on at least one study conducted in accordance with established scientific principles that acute or chronic health effects may occur in persons exposed. The term “health hazard” includes chemicals which are carcinogens, toxic or highly toxic agents, reproductive toxins, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins, agents which act on the hematopoietic system, and agents which damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes.”

While it seems like a quick fix, the use of products such as Liquid Plumber can lead to physical reactions, without even solving the original problem. Much better to rely on a real drainage technician, one that can diagnose and terminatedly fix the actual situation, rather than just try to melt it away with a very corrosive substance.

Mid America Drain has acquired a new Hydro Excavation combo truck from Vac-Con. This custom made-to-order truck is state of the art and the first of its kind. It features more capability then any other truck on the market today, eliminating the need to send multiple trucks to a job site in many cases as well as reducing the overhead and cost to the customer of having multiple trucks out at once. Featured here is Cyndi and Mike Laughlin, owners of Mid America Drain, and the executives from Vac-Con who facilitated the creation of this custom built truck.